Legion
by ThatFlyingEagle
Summary: Protecting humans from humans is something Rukia has dreamed of since she was a girl. When she inadvertently kills a demon, she is pulled into the Legion: And she doesn't even know it. Many pairings, AU all the way, mild language.
1. Your First Case

**Hello readers! Welcome to Legion! I've had this idea for a long time, but have been refining the blurred lines a bit. Enjoy and reviews are always welcome!**

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Rukia quietly walked into her apartment after leaving the last firm on her list. Her feet had begun yelling at her hours ago to stop and think about her search. To stop being so frantic. To not apply to so many firms in a single day. Her brain wouldn't listen though. Neither would her bank account.

The poor thing had been slowly draining since her graduation from military school. Her job search had been fruitless, and countless hours spent researching possible employers had resulted in an extremely short list of places.

"You look tired, Ru. Want some tea?" Asked her roommate, Rangiku Matsumoto, from the seat she was lounging in. The tall, busty woman had been Rukia's best friend since childhood, and the two lived together with one more.

Rukia dropped her bag tiredly to the floor, "Ran! You shouldn't have waited up for me."

"She's not the only one who did." Said another voice, and her second roommate walked in, carrying a canteen filled with what was probably protein.

"Ren? You too?" Renji Abarai was her other best friend. They met in high school and found a similar interest in the military, quickly becoming fast friends. As it turned out, Renji was already really good friends with Rangiku, so everything worked out great.

Renji was currently going through the same school that Rukia had just graduated from, but for a different reason. He was going through with the army, while she was in spec ops.

She sighed and looked at her friends lovingly, "You guys are too good to me. I'll have tea, Ran, thanks." She said, accepting a hug from Renji. He was a lot taller than her, so it was more like she was hugging his waist, but it was comforting all the same.

"You do the same and more for us, Ru. Remember when I got chewed out for being late a few weeks ago?" Renji asked. She nodded. He had slept in, and an operative had busted through their front door and dragged him, in his underwear, to the academy.

"Do you remember what you did for me?"

She giggled. She had gotten him a stripper for the evening while her and Ran went out for dinner.

"Yeeeah. So you can drop the whole 'everyone is only sweet to me' act. You might be the worst of us all." He laughed. She laughed with him and they sat down as Ran returned with her cup.

"No luck again, Ru?" She asked, checking her finger nails. She was probably on the lookout for smudges in the nail polish.

Ran was the only one in their apartment who wasn't involved with the military. She was a tattoo and makeup artist, who actually was the one doing Renji's tattoos. The tribal markings were large and extensive, but she had a professional tattoo parlor and did them for free.

She sighed, "Nope. Not even a call." She took a sip of the fresh tea, savoring its sweetness. Ran must have put honey into it. Her favorite.

Renji took another big gulp of his protein shake, "Maybe you aren't looking at the right places. You've kept the search limited to public firms, right?"

Rukia nodded, "Of course. I don't have the credentials to even be considered for any private firms. I would need at least ten years of experience to get into Rukon Security, which is the easiest private place to get into."

Renji sighed, "Well...maybe you should start low and work your way around." He said. Rukia sighed. She really didn't want to work at some half baked firm for so many years of her life, just to make it to where she _wanted_ to be in the first place.

But unfortunately, it looked like she had to.

She stirred her tea agitatedly, "Where should I go then?"

Ran tossed her hair, "Why not the local police? All you would need to do is pass the exam." She said, leaning back. Renji nodded, "Yeah! I have a friend with the local station that can get you in. Maybe you can even work homicide or S.W.A.T."

Rukia considered this. It wasn't exactly what she wanted, but homicide sounded somewhat interesting. She'd never thought to do it before, but it could be a good experience for her.

"I'll look into it. Thanks for waiting up for me, but I'm going to turn in for the night." Rukia said, hugging her friends once more before climbing the stairs to her room. Throwing her bag onto the chair, she quickly undressed and put her pajamas on.

She grabbed her cell from her bag and jumped into bed. Her fingers flew across the screen as she typed the message.

'Are you up?' Her father had a medical condition that, some nights, prevented him from sleeping. She texted him every night to make sure that either he was asleep or that he was okay while being up at absolutely ridiculous hours.

She lay in bed waiting for the reply. Her mind strayed to her job predicament, or more the lack of any job at all. Security was all she wanted to do since she was a little girl, since the attack, since her parents...

Her phone jingled to life in her lap, jerking her, thankfully, from darkening thoughts. "Hello?" She hadn't thought to check the caller id first, but she knew who it was anyway.

"_Rukia, how are you?"_ Her fathers voice had always soothed her frayed patience.

"I'm fine, papa. How are you? Can't sleep?" She replied.

She heard a light laugh on the other end of the line, "_Oh, I'm fine. I'm sitting in bed right now. How is your job search going?"_

She sighed, "Terrible. Thirty four firms, no replies. Renji suggested that I start somewhere low on the ladder and work up."

"_It sounds like a solid plan. Any ideas?" _

"He also said that he has a friend who can get me into the local homicide unit. I'm not so sure about it though." She said truthfully. Uncertainty had been a constant through her whole life. This was no different.

"_You'll never know if you don't try, Rukia. Take Renji up on his offer."_

"I'll think about it."

"_You never know, it might be just what you need to grow your wings and fly." _Her fathers favorite phrase. Grow your wings and fly. He had used the same saying almost all of Rukia's childhood, yet every single time it was exactly the motivation she needed.

"Thanks, papa. Sleep well and call me if anything goes wrong."

"_I will. Take care, Rukia. Good night."_ The line went dead and Rukia yawned wide. It had been a long day, and a nights sleep would be amazing. She had already decided not to do anything tomorrow. Maybe she would go with Renji to his 'friend'. Probably a girl he slept with, really.

Her head hadn't been on the pillow for a moment before she had drifted off to a calm sleep.

XX

"So, Renji...who is this 'friend' of yours?" Rangiku asked with an amused tone. It was eleven o'clock the next morning and Renji was taking Rukia to see his friend. Ran had insisted on going, so now the three of them were packed into Renji's small white convertible.

"Trust me, this one isn't like the others. At all." He said with a smile. Rangiku and Rukia both rolled their eyes.

Renji was a typical guy; he never changed his excuse. Being tattooed, muscled and tall had allowed him to have a glorious sex life, with an equally glorious amount of women. Every single new girl came with the same guarantee. 'This one isn't like the others.'

"Whether she is or not, will she be able to get me into the homicide unit?" Rukia asked from her squished position between her two roommates.

Renji laughed, "That must be a joke, Rukia! With your resume, the force would have to be retarded to not take you." As he said this, the convertible swerved into a parking lot full of police cruisers, convicts being taken both in and out of the building and news crews running alongside them.

"So much publicity on a Tuesday?" Rukia wondered. Renji nodded, "This isn't like the military bases you and I are used to. Police stations are under coverage for most of the working week, though I do believe that weekend coverage is just as busy."

The trio got out of the car and made their way towards the front double glass doors. It really was hectic compared to what she was used to, but at the same time it looked...exciting. Something happening every second, a new criminal to be caught, a new case to solve.

Inside was like a transformation. The rush and heckle from outside changed to a calm and efficient work space. Officers roamed between offices, speaking to their superiors. Copiers and printers whirred constantly, printing of reports and warrants.

Renji walked into the station like he had plenty of personal experience. He led them to an edge office with a plaque on the door.

_Ise Nanao. Director of Personnel_. He knocked on the door twice before a curt reply came from inside.

"Come in."

Renji opened the door and walked in, Rukia and Rangiku following. Sitting at a flawlessly organized desk was a pretty woman with circle glasses. She had exactly two pens and one pencil in her dress pocket, her badge was fixed professionally on her lapel, and her sharp features were headed by two piercing eyes. Which snapped to Renji without hesitation.

"Well, well, well. Come to apologize for last month?" She said, her voice icy. Renji's face paled.

"Now, Ise...that wasn't my fault..."

"How was that not you fault! Your stayed for one night and then left! You never even called back!" She snapped. Rukia and Ran had to stifle roaring laughter. This woman Ise had Renji's imposing form backed into a corner, and she wasn't letting up.

"You could have at least sent a text! You better get your ass out of my office right now!"

He spluttered, "But Ise...I need to talk to yo-"

"If it's a favor that you promised, these two women can tell me just fine. Get your ungrateful face out of this office!" Renji scurried out, ignoring the knowing glances that he got from his roommates. They would understand soon enough.

Ise straightened her dress and fixed her glasses before turning a pleasant smile on the two girls still in her office, "Can I help you ladies?"

Rukia stepped up, "My name is Rukia Kuchiki, and this is my roommate Rangiku Matsumoto. We're Renji's roommates."

Nanao glared at the door, "How very unfortunate for you...I will apologize now for any past and future frustrations my cousin causes..."

Rukia started, "Cousin?"

Ise sat down at her desk, "Yes. Renji is my youngest cousin. I guess I sort of have a big sister complex with him. He had no siblings, and we lived in the same neighborhood. We spent a lot of time together when we were younger."

Rangiku cocked her head to the side, "So...what was that last fight about?" She asked. Rukia and her had probably thought the same thing. That this Nanao woman was just another booty-call that he slept with and never called. Guess not.

She sighed, "Oh, he offered to help me move into my new apartment. He stayed the night so we could finish in the morning, then he left the next morning. Never even called back. Jerk. Anyway, enough about him. What can I help you with?"

Rukia shifted nervously, "Well...er...I'm looking for a job and thought I'd start off in the police."

Ise shuffled through some papers, "Alright. Any specific department?"

"I was thinking of...um...homicide?"

Ise nodded, "I hope you have a degree, or a ton of experience." She said expectantly. Rukia nodded.

"Well, I just graduated from Gotei Academy of Mili-"

"Gotei? You graduated from Gotei? Screw the formalities, you're hired!" Nanao declared, slapping some files down. Rangiku squealed with delight and threw Rukia in a hug. Rukia herself had a wide grin on her face, before she began thinking.

"Wait, can you do that? Don't you have to talk to your boss?"

Ise waved a hand absently, "Captain Kyoraku will go along with whatever I do. If it was up to him, this place would be a bar. Welcome to the force Rukia. You start tomorrow."

She smiled and nodded, "Thank you, Nanao! Do I have a partner?"

She shook her head, "No. We had been in the process of looking, but you blew all the candidates out of the water, just based on your school. Would you like one though?"

Rukia was about to shake her head, but she gave it a moment of thought. She actually...had no idea how to solve a murder. A double murder. She didn't even know how to solve an assault and battery.

"Actually Nanao...I really don't know my way around the job. Is there anyone who can show me the ropes, I guess?" She murmured. She was afraid that she would lose the job now that Nanao knows that she has no experience.

"Certainly. There's a private practice nearby that we can contract to work with you for a few weeks. I'll give you their card and you can go over there. Again, welcome to the force!"

Rukia took the card with a smile and bowed before scurrying out of the office with Ran. Renji sat outside in one of the chairs talking to an officer that he apparently knew.

"Renji! I got the job!" Rukia said excitedly. He jumped up and threw her in a hug. "That's amazing, Ru! When do you start?"

"Tomorrow!"

"We have to go celebrate!" He cried. The officers shushed him, but it was too late. Nanao's door flew open, "Renji! Get out of my precinct! Now!" She bellowed.

Rukia followed her redheaded friend as he ran from the rain of office supplies that Nanao was bombarding them with. Finally they came to a stop at his car. Through the panting, Renji grinned, ear to ear, "So Rukia! Where do you want to go to celebrate?" He asked.

She grinned back, "Nowhere yet. I have to go to this address. It's a private detective agency, and Nanao said that they would contract them to work with me. She said I should go over and introduce myself."

He immediately offered to drive her there. The friends drove a few blocks away until they reached Arisawa Detective Agency.

Rukia asked the others to wait in the car and went inside. The neat little agency was well organized and air conditioned. The clean counters and magazine piles made it look more like a doctors office than a detective agency.

An older woman sat behind a mahogany desk, her half moon glasses carefully placed so she could look through them and over them if need be. Rukia walked up and waited nervously for the woman to realize that she was there.

"Miss Arisawa is waiting for you, Miss Kuchiki. Ise called us and we'd be happy to help you. Through that door there." She said pleasantly, pointing at a glass door with the name Arisawa on it in blocky black letters.

She eased the door open to find a woman with unruly black hair sitting behind a desk. she wore jeans and a red shirt with a badge on a necklace around her neck.

"You must be Rukia. Ise called me and explained everything. I'll be glad to help you out. Working with someone who graduated from Gotei sounds fun."

Rukia smiled and bowed her head slightly, "With all due respect, Miss Arisawa, I'll be learning from you, not the other way round."

She laughed, "Oh, I think you'll be surprised. This stuff isn't as hard as it seems, sometimes. You can call me Tatsuki, by the way. Listen, I know that you start work tomorrow at the precinct. Text me when you get all settled and we'll get to work."

Rukia exchanged numbers with Tatsuki and left with pleasant goodbyes. She was practically giddy with excitement when she got back into the car with Renji and Rangiku.

"That was quick. How'd it go?" Ran asked quickly. Rukia just grinned her response. Ran squealed-she couldn't seem to resist it- again and crushed Rukia in a boob filled hug.

Renji's grin couldn't have been wider, "Time to celebrate! Where to, Rukia?" He asked, joining the traffic of the busy road. Rukia's smile didn't dim, "We can't go out drinking now, Renji. I start tomorrow! Don't want to be hung over for my first day!"

Renji's smile did dim. He wanted to be drinking today! Rangiku clapped her hands together, "Well, at least lets go tell your dad! He'll be more than excited!"

Rukia hastily agreed and asked Renji to drive them to her fathers house. It was a short drive from where they were, and it took them no more then ten minutes to get there.

Rukia leaped out of the car and ran up the steps, knocking furiously on her fathers door. A mumbled yell came from inside and in a few moments, the door opened.

"Rukia! To what do I owe the surprise?" Her fathers polite voice said. She threw him in a hug, "I got a job in homicide!"

He cheered and wrapped his arms tightly around her, "That's wonderful! Come in, come in, tell me about this new job of yours." He said, ushering his three visitors inside. Rangiku and Renji bowed politely, "Thank you, Mr. Ukitake." They said in unison, following Rukia inside.

Ukitake's home was decently sized, featuring a kitchen, a large living room and two bedrooms, each with their own bathroom. The living room was furnished with several couches and single recliners, but no loveseats, which was perfect. Rukia and her friends sat on one couch while her father rummaged through his kitchen for tea cups.

"Y'know Ru, your dad's house always surprises me." Rangiku said as she investigated her nails once more.

Rukia looked over at her, "Why? It's just a normal house." She said. Rangiku nodded, "Well yeah, I know that. Just...why does he have so much furniture for a single guy?"

Rukia looked around the living room and mentally counted the seating space. Three single recliners and three couches. Seating for twelve. She nodded absently, "You're right, it is a bit weird, but I suppose he likes a lot of seats." Rukia said.

As she finished, her father entered the living room. He carried a tray laden with tea cups and a steaming pot, presumably filled with tea. Sitting down across from them, he quickly filled the four cups.

"So! Tell me about it!" He said exuberantly. Rukia smiled as she sipped the scalding tea.

"Well, Renji's cousin is the director of personnel at Tenpan Regional Police Department, and we went to talk to her..."

"About getting Rukia into the department with a job..." Renji continued.

"And when Rukia asked about the homicide position..." Rangkiu elaborated.

"She said no." Rukia finished. Her fathers face went from ecstatic to horrified in a quick moment. The tea cup that had been raising to his mouth was motionless.

"She said no?" He asked shakily. Rukia nodded and smiled.

"At first, yeah. When I told her that I just graduated from Gotei, she took me on immediately. I'm working in a homicide department, papa!" She cheered. His grin couldn't possibly have been wider.

"I told you, Rukia. This could help you-"

"Spread my wings and fly, papa. I know." She jeered playfully. He took a joyful sip of tea.

"That's right, little one, that's right. When do you start?" He asked. Rukia sipped her tea carefully to avoid burning her tongue, "Tomorrow, actually. Ise set me up with a homicide detective in a private practice. Her name is Tatsuki Arisawa, and she'll be showing me the ropes for a while."

Her father glanced at the cherry grandfather clock against the wall before quickly placing his cup down, "Oh my! If you start tomorrow you should get some sleep!" He said with worry.

Renji blanched, "Um...Mr. Ukitake...it's only one thirty in the afternoon." He said nervously. Rukia snickered at her roommate, knowing that he was being careful not to call her fathers age into question.

Long ago, she had convinced both her roommates that her father had a vicious temper when it came to his age. Rangiku figured out the game very quickly, but Renji and his gloriously thick skull had never figured it out. Neither girl was willing to tell him either, because watching the boy dance around the false temper was far more amusing than any practical joke.

Slowly, her father sat back down scratching his chin in embarrassment, "Oh...right. Well, I meant that she has to prepare! Do you have a uniform, dear?" Rukia shook her head.

"No, not that I know of. I haven't been given a badge, but I assume Ise will give that to me tomorrow." She answered. The very thought of having a badge of her own made her all gooey inside. She thought back to a movie she had seen where the female cop had worn her badge on her black lace bra. A blush blossomed on her face as she imagined some hot guy in her bed, and her showing her badge to him on her bra. Oh!

"Rukia!" Renji yelled, tearing her from her thoughts. She looked around and found that all three of her companions were staring at her intently.

"Are you ok, Ru? Your face got as red as a tomato all of a sudden." Rangiku asked, closely observing Rukia's cheeks which, despite her best efforts, remained a rosy red.

"Its nothing!" She said over enthusiastically and smiling awkwardly. Renji and Rangiku looked at each other and shrugged while her father nonchalantly went back to his tea. She would really have to curb her imagination in future.

"Anyway, I'm excited for you, Rukia. I have an arrangement to keep, so you can call me tomorrow after your first day!" Her father exclaimed. Rukia and her roommates smiled and said their thanks and filed out of the light blue home.

Rukia waited for her father to get his coat and lock his house before walking down the driveway to his car with him, "Going to see some friends?" She asked innocently. Many of her fathers friends had moved away from him, so she found it pretty special when he went out.

"An _old, old_ friend. Known him for almost all my life. You remember Uncle Shunsui?" Rukia nodded avidly, "Yeah! He used to bring me presents and treats all the time...even though you took them away mostly."

Ukitake laughed, "Well yes. Giving a child sake is not something I would allow. He called me up and asked me to go out with him." He said with a smile.

"That's great, papa." She said, reaching his car. Rukia hugged him and promised to call when she got the chance. She ran and joined her friends in Renji's convertible, squishing in next to Matsumoto, "Alright guys. Back home we go, I have a lot to do." She declared.

Renji's face couldn't have sagged more, "But Ru! Let's go celebrate! Get drunk! Get laid! Ge-"

He was silenced when Rangiku smacked him with the back of her hand, "Shush! You don't want Rukia showing up tomorrow with a horrible hangover."

Renji snickered at the thought, "Why not?" He asked, his amusement clear in his voice. "I would have to explain to Ise how you tricked me into drinking. I wonder what she'll do?" Rukia wondered aloud.

Renji's look of pure horror sent both the girls into fits of hysterical laughter.

XXX

Rukia scanned through the magazine she was reading with a bored eye. Rarely had she had free time like this. After graduating from Gotei, she had immediately jumped on the job trail, looking for somewhere to work. The obsession had claimed almost every hour of every day, so doing things like reading a magazine were few and far between.

It was eight o'clock that night and she was alone. Renji and Rangiku had been at her tattoo parlor for the last few hours, doing more work on the extensive back tattoo he was getting. Upon getting home from her fathers, Rukia had spent a good two hours arranging the perfect outfit to wear, the perfect way to do her hair, everything.

She had expected herself to get butterflies over it, but they never came. She generally assumed that she was just overly prepared for everything and that's why she rarely got nervous over things like this. Renji had guessed that because of her spec ops training, she wasn't capable of getting butterflies. Rangiku had ignored them.

Whatever the reason, she was glad. Being nervous wasn't something she enjoyed at any point in time, new job or not. Hopefully though, she could get a good night's sleep and be ready to rock the world tomorrow.

Her bed was warm and comforting as she lay in it, her lights off and the front door locked. Rangiku and Renji had keys, so they weren't locked out. For reasons that she couldn't guess at, her pillow was more comforting than ever that specific night. Sleep came quickly for her.

XX

An infernal ringing in her head pulled Rukia from dreams of stardom and fame. Her room was still dark, so it wasn't her morning alarm. She looked to her bedside table, where her phone was the source of the terribly loud beeping. Who the hell was calling her so late?

Before she answered it, she look at the clock. It was one thirty in the morning. _Shit,_ she thought, _If this is Renji, I'm going to freak._ When she looked at the phone, it wasn't Renji, but it wasn't a number she knew either.

"Hello?" She groaned, finally answering the call.

"_Rukia, it's Tatsuki._" Came the answer. Rukia could just barely recognize the voice as the detective. Why was she calling her so early?

"Hey Tatsuki, what's up?" She responded, wiping her eyes. If this new detective wanted to get to be friends, she would have to wait until the daylight hours to do so.

"_I know it's early, but you're needed. Get to Tenpan as soon as you can!_" Tatsuki exclaimed. Rukia grew curious, because the woman's voice sounded almost...perky. She flipped her covers off and fumbled for the light switch, "Alright, I will. Anything I should be expecting?" She asked. A moment passed before she heard sirens echoing on the other end of the line.

"_Your first case._"

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**What did you think? I know it may seem a bit bland right now because its just a first chapter, but it'll get better, I promise.**

**Reviews appreciated!**


	2. Najima Park

**Hello readers! My last final exam is tomorrow, and after that I should be able to write more! Welcome to the second chapter of Legion!**

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Rukia set personal records in getting ready. A usually twenty minute process took her less than five before she was climbing into her old jeep. It was an old car that epitomized the idea of a budget car. She had bought while still in school, for less than a weeks pay at a cafe were she was working at the time.

Regardless, it got her where she needed to go, so she had kept it. No reason to scrap it just yet. She hoped that after she got a job she could fix it up to be good as new. It took her a few tries to get the engine to turn over, but she got it and sped off towards Tenpan.

Arriving, she jumped out of the jeep, almost forgetting to turn it off, and ran to the doors. Opening them, she bore witness to a flurry of activity that was entirely different from the afternoon before.

"Rukia!" She turned and saw that Ise was beckoning to her from her office. Rukia hurried over.

"Ise, what's going on?" She asked. The director looked her over once before cocking an eyebrow, "Tatsuki made you get here that fast, huh?" Rukia immediately went red and tried to straighten out her hastily thrown on clothes, "Sorry..." She mumbled.

Ise turned and went back to her desk, "I'm just giving you a hard time, Rukia. You want a homicide tip?" Rukai nodded sheepishly.

"Dead bodies aren't going anywhere fast, so no need to rush yourself." Ise said, snatching something from a drawer in her desk and coming back over. She handed Rukia a gold badge with the word _Kuchiki_ in diagonal letters on it.

"How did you get this made so fast? I was only hired this afternoon." Rukia said, holding the badge tenderly, like it was going to break in her hand. Ise laughed.

"When you don't have a homicide agent on the payroll, the entire station gets worse ratings. That badge was pretty much made already so we could get a new once hired as soon as we could. All it needed was your name."

"Oh." Was all Rukia said in reply as her eyes were glued to the new badge. She, Rukia Kuchiki now had a badge. Something that gave her actual authority. Awesome.

"No time to daydream, Rukia. Tatsuki is already on the scene. Najima Park, on the double. Move it!" She said with a bark. Rukia jumped and scampered out of the station to her car. Najima Park was close by, only about five minutes by car. Her jeep roared to life and she left the station.

Pretty soon she could see the lights of police cruisers, ambulances and news crews. She parked her jeep and jumped out, headed towards the area that had been taped off. Najima Park was a very central location, ringing by houses and rich neighborhoods. Very few places around the city could boast the kind of regulars as Najima.

Nearing the yellow tape, she caught the eye of a policeman who was standing guard, "Who are you? This area is off limits..." He began.

Rukia held the badge up, "Rukia Kuchiki, Homicide." In her mind, it sounded like the corniest line from the corniest cop movie ever. She was sure that he would be rolling on the ground laughing.

The officer, to her surprise, didn't die laughing, "Oh, you must be the new agent. Please, right this way, ma'am." He said respectfully. He held the tape up for her and she went to follow, but found her way blocked by a reporter.

"Excuse me! Anything you can tell us about the murde-"

"No questions!" The officer barked sternly, blocking the reporter from Rukia and lifted the yellow tape.

"Next to that big tree there, Miss Kuchiki." He said, pointing. She followed his finger and saw Tatsuki standing while some photographers pictured the scene.

"Thanks."

She walked over, looking around the park as she did. It wasn't a large park, but it had a lot of trees in it, and several fountains. Small paved paths wound through with benches at regular intervals.

"Nice park, huh?" Tatsuki said, spotting Rukia walking up behind her. Rukia nodded.

"My papa used to bring me here when I was young, to watch the cherry trees blossom. He lives two streets away." She said, getting lost in memory for a second. Tatsuki laughed at her glazed eyes.

"Reporters get after you?"

"Yeah, the officer there yelled them off though." Rukia answered.

"Alright then rookie, welcome to your first case." She said, turning back to the photographers. Rukia looked down and saw what happened almost instantly. A man, maybe in his twenties, had been shot square between the eyes.

"Guess it wasn't a nice walk in the park. Who is he?" Rukia asked, inspecting the ground around the dead man. Tatsuki whistled, "Well, well, well. Already some crime scene humor out of you. Guys name is Riki Machida. Twenty six years old, a business consultant with Ichimaru Accounting Firm. No criminal history whatsoever. We've already notified his girlfriend."

Rukia processed the information, "Girlfriend? What about immediate family?" She asked, looking at her partner. Tatsuki shook her head.

"None. He's the only child of parents who passed away years ago. Closest loved one we could find was his girlfriend."

"How did you know?" Rukia asked.

"The girl who found him also knew him. She told us this information and most of it has been verified as true."

"Most of it?"

Tatsukai scratched her head, "Well, he might have uncles or aunts or something like that, but we went with that girls word that his girlfriend was the closest to him." Rukia nodded. It all made sense to her. Kind of.

Her eyes snapped to a newcomer to the scene. A guy, maybe around her age wearing jeans and a polo walked into the circle carrying a suitcase. She was about to flip, but Tatsuki greeted him.

"Well good morning there, Hanataro. Nice evening isn't it?" She said cheerily. The man, or more like boy, once Rukia saw his face, smiled, "It was nice before I got called out here." He chuckled.

Tatsuki laughed, "Rukia, this is Hanataro Yamada. He's the coroner for Tenpan regional, and the youngest coroner is the city."

Hanataro rubbed the back of his head nervously, "I am not the youngest. That guy two precincts north is around my age..."

"He's six years older than you." Tatsuki deadpanned. Rukia watched the exchange with a smile. These two obviously knew each other and were good friends. She was surprised when she noticed a hand hovering a few inches from her.

"Nice to meet you, Rukia. I hear that you are the new homicide agent at Tenpan." Hanataro said, a genuine smile on his face. Rukia shook his hand firmly, "Yeah I am. Nice to meet you." She said with a smile.

He accepted the shake and put the suitcase down before slipping on some latex gloves. His eyes ran over the body with practiced precision as he observed everything there was to observe.

"I'm guessing that you know what killed him." He said to them. Rukia stifled a laugh and Tatsuki did the same with less success, "Yeah. The bullet."

Hanataro nodded, "Yeah, that did kill him. Alright, I'll get the guys to pack him up and bring him to Tenpan. I'll get going on the autopsy right away."

"Thanks Hanataro." Tatsuki said before walking back towards the cars. Rukia followed quickly, "What now? Wait for the autopsy to tell us what we already know?"

Tatsuki shook her head, "No. Time to gather suspects. I'll go and talk to the girl that found him, but I want you to go interview the girlfriend. That is if she's in any state to talk."

Rukia glanced at her watch, "Now? It's three in the morning." She wondered aloud.

"Not now, genius. Wait until later to do it. Go and get some sleep. I'll text you the girls address and phone number."

XXX

Rukia sat cross legged in a small, neat living room. Across from her sat a girl who was far too comfortable with the news that she'd just received. It was just after lunch and Rukia had come to interview Riki Machida's girlfriend, Loly Aiverrne.

"So...where were you again last night?" Rukia asked. The girl flipped her hair over her shoulder.  
"I was here, wondering why he decided to take a walk in the middle of the damn night." She said, looking intently at her nails. Evidently, she had just gotten back from getting a manicure.

"So, you're aware then that you are a suspect, yes?" Rukia inquired.

The girl snapped her eyes to Rukia's, "What!? Why am I a suspect?" She cried. Rukia smirked inwardly. This is the first sign of emotion from this girl that Rukia had seen.

"You're a suspect because of your relationship to Riki. I'll be in touch." Rukia finished, getting up and heading to the door. She heard a flurry of movement from behind her, "Wait! I can tell you who did it."

Rukia whipped around, "Excuse me?"

Loly smiled cockily, "I can tell you who killed Riki." Rukia folded her arms over her chest.

"Really? Well then who did?" She asked.

"It's that bitch that called you people in the first place. She killed Riki, I know it for sure." Loly said with a glare. Rukia cocked an eyebrow, "How can you be so sure?" She asked.

Loly rolled her eyes at the detective, "How can you not be? Why else would she have been out at the park with him in the early hours of the morning?" The girl asked with an exasperated tone.

Rukia found herself on the retreat. She didn't know how to respond to that. It sounded like a pretty valid point, but at the same time it sounded suspicious. Rukia turned away from her and opened the door.

"We'll be in touch." Was all she said before closing the door behind her. For her first interview as a homicide detective, that wasn't too nice. Loly had been perfectly cooperative, answering all of Rukia's questions without hesitation. Until she found out that she was a suspect in her boyfriends murdur.

Rukia pulled out her cell and dialed Tatsuki's number. Hopefully her investigations into the other girl proved more helpful than her own.

"_Rukia._"

"Hey. Anything new?"

"_Orihime told me that Riki and his girlfriend fought all the time and that he needed some time away from her. That's essentially all the important stuff. Lots of crying to deal with though._"

"I'm going to assume that Orihime is the girl that reported the murder?"

"_Right on. Anything on your end?_"

Rukia sighed into the reciever, "Yeah. Loly, the girlfriend, came out and accused Orihime of the murder." Rukia said.

"_Did she specifically name Orihime?_" Tatsuki asked.

"Pretty close. Does 'that bitch who called you people in the first place' sound specific?" Rukia answered sarcastically.

"_I see your point. Alright. I'm going to go drop in on Ichimaru Accounting, see what they have on file for him. I'll call you if anything new comes up."_

"All right, bye." Rukia said as the line went dead. She climbed into her beat up old jeep and fought to get it started. Finally getting it running, she pulled out of the apartments and onto the road back towards Tenpan. Silently, she cursed her inexperience. Yeah, this was her first case, but she still felt like Tatsuki was doing all the work.

Her phone jingled on the seat next to her. Picking it up, she checked the number, but didn't know who it was.

"Hello?"

"_Rukia, it's Hanataro._" Came the answer.

"Oh hey. Can I help you?" She replied pleasantly.

"_It's more of a case that I can help you. You may want to come see the body._" He said. Rukia checked her watch.

"I'm on the way there already. Be there in ten." She said, hanging up. She put the phone in her bag and stepped on the gas.

XXX

"Welcome to the autopsy table." Hanataro said as Rukia walked in. She felt rather stupid having to ask officers where the room was, but they took everything pleasantly and reassured her that it wouldn't take her long to figure everything out.

On the table lay Riki Machida, entirely naked other than a small white sheet that covered his private parts. Before Hanataro even said anything, Rukia noticed all the extra cuts and wounds that crossed the man's body.

"What happened to him?" She asked, slowly pacing around the table, looking intently at the wounds. All over his legs, face, arms and chest were little scratches and bruises.

"I told you guys that the bullet in his head killed him, but I was wrong." Hanataro said, grabbing a remote and hitting one of the buttons. Up on a big screen came a picture that Rukia assumed was Riki's back. The most surprising thing was two more bullet holes in his back.

"I think that the shot to the head was just an insurance shot. See all the scratches? Looks like he was running from someone, through some bushes and low hanging trees. The shooter chased him and put two bullets into his back before shooting him in the head to make sure he was dead. I haven't yet extracted the bullets themselves." Hanataro said, pointing at the two bullet holes on the screen.

"So...he wasn't going for a walk after all..." Rukia mumbled. Hanataro's face dropped into concern.

"Um...Rukia? Are you alright?"

She nodded and got a smile on her face, "Yeah, I'm fine. Just a thought. Can you get the bullets out as soon as possible?" She asked. The young coroner scratched his chin and shrugged.

"Twenty minutes tops and I can get you all three. Assuming of course that the bullets are still in the body." He said with confidence.

"Do it." Rukia said. Hanataro nodded and set to getting his supplies ready. She left him to his work and proceeded over to Ise's office. Finding the door open, she walked right in.

"Rukia, I'm glad you came in here. Two things." Ise said from behind her desk, holding up two fingers. Rukia quickly stood to attention with her feet together and legs straight.

"Er...this isn't the military, you don't have to do that." Ise deadpanned.

Rukia smiled sheepishly, "Sorry...reflex." She said through a slight giggle. Ise offered a stern smile before she was business once more.

"I want a report on the Machida case on my desk in the morning, and come with me." She said, walking promptly out of the office. Rukia followed without a word, trailing the director to a large office with glass doors. As she saw it, Rukia's heart lifted through the skies.

On the glass, in black block letters, it read _Rukia Kuchiki, Detective of Homicide. _Ise opened the doors, "Welcome to your office, Rukia. It's got the basic furnishings and a top of the line computer, but other than that its empty. Decorate it how you like, but keep it professional." She said before walking back to her own office.

She slowly walked up to the polished cherry desk, her eyes scanning over the bare walls. It seemed so big compared to other "offices" she has had. In a three month stint for the military, she worked as a consultant for training. Her office then had been a fraction of this size back then.

Her reverie was interrupted by her phone. She checked the ID and flipped the phone open.

"Hey Tatsuki." She answered.

"_Hey. Got some interesting stuff from Ichimaru's files. Where are you?_"

"At Tenpan. Listen, Hanataro found two more bullet holes in our victims back."

"_How many? Two more?!_"

"Yeah. Along with scratches all over his body. Looks like he was chased and someone was shooting from behind. Hanataro thinks the head shot was just to make sure the victim was dead. I asked him to get the bullets out. He said twenty minutes tops."

"_Alright. I'm coming back. I should get there right as those bullets come out._" The line went dead and Rukia shut the phone. She turned in her chair and stared out the window, silently pondering the almost full turn that her life had done on her, all in twenty four hours. Even now, with this first case, she felt like her life couldn't get any more exciting.

A knock at her door brought her attention back to reality. She swiveled back around in her chair to see an officer at the door, holding a folder. She beckoned for him to come in.

"Yes?" She asked politely from behind her desk. The officer walked up to her desk and pulled out a few papers and a huge binder, "This is an official release stating that you are indeed the detective on the Machida case. We have to give it to the media. Unfortunately, this binder is a press release registration for you. Interviews coming up, Miss Kuchiki." He said with a smile.

She groaned, drawing a laugh from him, "Alright, thanks." She replied with a warm smile. He left promptly, leaving Rukia to read these new forms for her to fill out. The case release was normal, all she had to do was sign that she was the lead detective. The media release was a massive affair, numbering close to thirty pages, if she was any good at guessing. She drew a pen from one of her desk drawers and set to work.

XXX

"What the hell..." Hanataro mused as he worked the tongs into the head wound. He had done well with the back bullets, getting them out easily. He had been unsure how to handle the head shot, but figured that the most direct route would be to go right into the wound. Normally, he would take hours and carefully extract the bullets, but Rukia said to get them out as soon as possible.

She probably doesn't even know how much authority she carries around the station. The only people above her are Ise and Captain Kyoraku, who is barely ever at the station anyway. She will figure it out soon though.

With her case, and her victim, her word is law.

The first two were normal 6mm bullets, something you could find at any sporting goods store. The last bullet was proving far more difficult. With the first two, he got lucky in that neither had gotten stuck in the spine. He thought the last bullet would be lodged in the skull, or just beneath it. Not so.

When he took the x ray, the blip on the screen that he assumed was the bullet was halfway through the brain, sunk deeply into the gray matter. Now he was stuck having to mash up this poor mans brain to get it out.

"How's that going?" He turned and cast a quick glance at his door, finding Tatsuki leaning against it, Rukia next to her. He turned back to his work.

"Working on the last bullet now. Other two are right there. 6mm." He said, pointing with his tongs. He listened as Tatsuki and her partner inspected the bullets. Why the were speaking in such hushed tones he didn't know and he would be lying if he said he didn't care.

"Where is the last bullet?" Rukia asked. Hanataro rolled his eyes, "Still in the brain. I'm working on it." He grunted. Rukia stepped up to the other side of the table, facing him.

"It's still inside the brain? We must be dealing with someone who has incredible aim."

He cocked an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"

She crossed her arms, "If the bullet is still in the head, then the shot couldn't have been point blank. Any point blank shot would pass straight through the head with even a low caliber firearm. So the shooter must have amazing aim."

Tatsuki laughed, "Come on, Rukia. A shot like that isn't hard to make anym-"

"Hold that thought Tatsuki. Look at this..." Hanataro said, turning around and dropping something into a tray with a loud bang, next to the other two bullets. He couldn't believe his eyes. Even though he pulled it out of the victims head, he couldn't believe it. If what Rukia said was true, then they were dealing with something entirely different than a run of the mill murderer. Tatsuki and Rukia came to stand next to him, saying nothing.

"Is that what I think it is?" Rukia wondered aloud. Hanataro slowly nodded.

"That depends. What do you think it is?" He asked. Tatsuki reached down and picked it up.

"A lead ball..."

Hanataro shook his head, "That isn't lead. No possible way would a lead ball that size weigh that much."

"It's not lead?" Rukia asked, holding her hand out. Tatsuki reached over and dropped the small ball into her open palm. Rukia's mouth dropped wide open when it hit her palm. Hanataro guessed that the insane weight of the ball is what surprised her.

"What is this...you're right Hanataro, it's not lead..." Rukia wondered, intently looking at the ball in her palm. It was shiny, but heavy. Much heavier than expected from a bullet of its size. That just presented another problem: was it even a _bullet_? Bullets had not been round since the muskets of the nineteenth century. Yet this things had been imbedded in the victims brain...with a clear entry wound that obviously points to a shooting.

"Rukia! Tatsuki!" Hanataro's eyes shot up as he heard the directors piercing voice. Ise walked into the lab with authority, "I just received a call from a gentleman who said that he has some information about the shooting at Najima Park. Here's the address, now move it!"

Rukia and Tatsuki didn't stop to question and motored out of the room, and presumably out of the precinct. Hanataro chuckled as he picked up the round shot that Tatsuki had dropped into his tray.

"What do you make of this, Ise?" He asked, holding his palm open to her.

The director stepped forward and took the ball from him. Her calculating eyes betrayed no surprise, and she closely inspected it.

"Where did you get this from?" She asked. Hanataro pointed to the body, "Came out of his brain. Now looking at it, I am damn sure that was the kill shot."

"_Shot_? This is no bullet, Hanataro. Way too heavy." She said, her sharp eagle eyes locked onto his.

"What then? Did the killer come up and shove that thing into Riki Machida's head? All due respect, Ise, but that is a bullet."

Her eyes narrowed, "Really? Well...I trust your judgment. We'll send it to Urahara Labs for analysis. If anyone can tell us what this is, its that madman Kisuke." She said, walking away with the bullet in hand.

Hanataro took off his coat and hung it on the wall. The physical part of the autopsy was complete. Now the paperwork part began. He hated this more than anything. The goddamn paperwork. He'd spied the station archivist head over to Rukia's office too, so she was also probably faced with some great paperwork to do. At least he wasn't the only one stuck in hell.

XXX

"Fuck man. You hear about Machida?" A man asked his friend.

"No. What happened?"

"Dude got himself killed man. It was on the news." The drug addict answered as he took out a large bag of cocaine. His fellow addict began to visibly shake as he saw the drugs.

"Oh well, another buyer gone. It's alright...more buzz for us!" He laughed, his shaking hands pulling out a razor blade. The other laughed as well.

"He probably got on Mayuri's bad side..." He mumbled. He separated a line and leaned down to the table. In one slow movement, he snorted the cocaine, and his senses flew. This rush, this feel...god it's what he is willing to kill for.

"Dude...is it raining or some shit..."

…

…

…

When he didn't hear a response, he looked up at his friend. Where the mans head used to be, there was nothing but a stump. He didn't even register the blood spurting onto him.

"What the fuc-" He couldn't finish as a hand grabbed him around the throat and lifted him off his feet. His fear filled eyes fell on a hooded figure. With one hand, this figure was holding him off the ground.

"Who...who are you? Did you kill Keji? What the...what the fuck did you do that for?!"

The figure laughed, a sinister sounding laugh that could have passed for the growl of an animal.

"He was in the way. Now...Machida..."

"Machida is dead! I swear I don't know anything else about him! He did coke with us once is all!" The addict shrieked as he wriggled in the strangers grip.

"Yes...he is dead...more of a problem than you _humans_ could possibly imagine. Who is this...Mayuri, you speak of?"

The addict had started sweating, "Mayuri! Uh...yeah! He's the guy who distributes most of the drugs to this area! A real freak, he experiments on people all the time! That's all I know I swear, let me go!"

Another sinister laugh echoed out from under the hood before a metallic flash. The drug addicts legs fell away from his upper body, and his guts spilled out. Dropping the upper half, the hooded man wiped off the blade of his sword on a cloth he produced from his cloak. Another figure stepped up beside him.

"You cannot go anywhere without leaving a body trail can you, Nnoitra? The Oni Daifu will not be pleased if the humans find another reason to pry into our affairs." It said.

Nnoitra spat on the ground, "The humans are not prying into anything, Nakeem...they always squirm when a dead body turns up...nonetheless, we should not waste this meal." He finished as he licked his lips.

* * *

**I hope you enjoyed it! Reviews are always welcome!**


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